Air conditioner



March 12, 1935.

C. W. BURNAP ET AL AIR CONDITIONER Filed Sept. 11, 1956 INVENTORS.

- ATTORNEY.

room in which the device zontally elongated tion and partly in Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITE-D STATES I PATENT OFFICE,

4 Claim.

This invention relates to air conditioners, especially adapted for household use. and the principal object is to produce a simple and eflicient device for properly humi 'fying the air within a is used.

Another object is to produceasimple form of combined humidifier and heater, the same being for use only in connection withasteam heating system.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one of the improved air conditioners, partly broken away, and showing portions of the interior in section.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlargedsection on the line 3-3, Figure 1, showing the air 'humidifying and heating chamber partly in elevasection.

While the paramount object of the invention is that of providing moisture to the air, it has been determined by actual experience that the device is exceptionally eflicient as a heating means, and to that end we have provided as simple and efllcient a device as possible and which in some instances may dispense with the use of other registers or radiating means for heating within the room in which our device is employed.

v Thus a cabinet is provided as illustrated at 1, and is shown as rectangular in form and standing upon suitable legs 2 a preferred, beneath which a steam pipe connection is made with the heating system in the building, such connection .being at 3. It isobvious that this cabinet maybe of any shape other than here illustrated, if desired. Within the cabinet is installed, centrally thereof, an upright air conduit or duct 4. in this instance shown as being round, though it may be of any other shape if preferred. A suitable electric fan is installed as at 6 to supply forced draft or circulation upwardly through the duct 4, and for which purpose the circular opening 5 is floor oi the duct, thus providing a chamber at the bottom of the duct for the reception of slight con.- densation that might occur. is arcuate in form and discharges through a horiscreened opening 27, though it may be round or otherwise shaped as desired. but of course having the capacity of the duct to not retard circulation of air therethrough. 7 Within the vertical portion of the duct is induct in section and the The top of this duct stalled the heating and humidifying element which comprises the externally corrugated tank or radiator 7, it having two pipe connections 8 and 9 to the steam supply pipe and a central circulating chamber illustrated at 10 having a closed 5 bottom and open top; and which is provided with a suitable connection with the interior of the radiator 7, including the needle valve 11 and pipes 12 and 13, the latter extending downwardly centrally of and into the chamber or cup 10 but ter- 10 minating short of the bottom thereof and open to discharge steam into the cup 10. The valve 11 is shown as having a control rod 14 extending outwardly of the side of the cabinet for convenient access, or it may be automatically con- 15 trolled by a suitable humidostat, not shown, and the chamber is shown as being at least partially filled with sand, as indicated at 20, or activated carbon as desired, and into which the discharge pipe extends.

The needle valve 11 is for the control of the discharged steam into the chamber 10 and from whence the steam rises and commingles with the air circulating vertically through the duct 4.

For control of the steam supply to the radiator we have illustrated the two branch pipes 8 and 9, each attached to the supply pipe 3 above the shut- 03 valve 15 so that steam may enter both the pipes 8 and 9 but eventually condensation will cause the water to return through the pipe 9 as is common in such connections. As an automatic means for control of the fan when the steam is turned on to the unit. we have installed within the pipe 9 a well section of pipe 18 in which is in stalled a diaphragm valve or regulator 17, operable by the steam pressure, and the stem 18 of which functions to throw the electric snap switch 19 either on or of! for control of the circuit to the motor of the fan 6. This switch 19 is preferably of the snap type so that but an initial movement is required for its ultimate opening or closing. Attached in any desired mannerto the diaphragm valve stem so as to open the switch and close the valve is a weight 21, and by this connection the operation of the fan is controlled when the steam is shut 01!.

Above the snap switch 19 is installed a hand lever 22, shown' as pivoted at 23 and extending through the side of the cabinet in convenient position for an operator so that the fan may be controlled independently of the steam supply when desired, there being notches in one side of the slot 24 in the side of the cabinet through which the lever extends that may be employed inholding the lever at any desired position for such purpose.

ditioners comprising a heating chamber The functioning of the device is as follows:

Assumin steam pressure is on wi the sunply pipe 3 and the valve 15 is open, or tank 'i come hot simultaneously with the electric energy to the fan as when circulation of air past the heated radiator will occur and be dischar ed through the opening 27 into the room. when additional humidity is required for proper conditioning of the air, the needle valve 11 is opened Just the proper amount to admit live steam into whence it will rise and c the turnin on or Just described.

of rising air and naturally impregnate same moisture, filtered through the sand or carbon and all sound or odor from steam be eilectively removed. is practically silent in o the intended.

The back of the cabinet, shown as being open. may be covered with any form removable proi n l. V I, so that the device on and'emcient or an open willinstantlyflllwithsteamandbv" within said chamber, and means for the discharge or air conditioning material within and through said granular material.

2. A heating and humidirying unit for air conditioners a heating radiator having an open chamber therein, granular material within said chamb r, a steam discharge within said material for diffusing the steam as it passes through said material.

3. A heating and humidityinfl un t for air cona heating radiator having an open gehamber therein. granular material within said chamber,

and means for introducing a predetermined amount of steam into and through said granular material to the surround- CARL W. BURNAP. JOHN WEIS 

